Victor Lacken
Conventional wisdom advises against large gatherings of people in times of pandemic as diseases are easily transmitted in a crowd and can spread readily throughout a population when the crowd disperses. This was top of mind at the Senegalese Red Cross when the first cases of H1N1 were being recorded in Senegal, at the same time that the country was about to host a mass gathering of two million pilgrims for a religious festival in the small town of Tivaouane.
Pilgrims from all parts of Senegal and northern Nigeria were expected to gather in Tivaouane to celebrate the birth of the prophet Muhammad. Tivaouane normally has a population of only 40,000 inhabitants, so the influx of two million additional people presented a dramatic health risk in the face of the recent H1N1 outbreak.
With support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies human pandemic preparedness campaign, the Senegalese Red Cross launched a major initiative to sensitize people to the risks and symptoms of pandemic influenza and the simple steps that can be taken to limit its reach.
The first part of the campaign focused on communicating five influenza pandemic key messages: 1) wash your hands, 2) separate your sick, 3) keep your distance, 4) cover your mouth and 5) dispose of your waste.
Next, the Senegalese Red Cross mobilized volunteers to do house-to-house visits and distribute leaflets. Personal protection kits consisting of gowns, gloves, masks and disinfectant gels were distributed to branches across the country, and doctors were trained in the proper use of these kits and given updated information on H1N1 and how to limit its reach.
Advocacy became a key element in this response effort. Contact was made with religious community leaders around the country to secure their cooperation and leverage their influence within their respective communities. For example, they were asked to remind attendees at Friday prayers in mosques to be vigilant to the dangers of pandemic influenza. This was a very effective strategy as ninety per cent of Senegalese are muslim enabling the team to reach a large part of the population.
Another key communications channel was the media. Journalists were invited to information events and other influenza pandemic related activities. At every opportunity, the five keys messages were reiterated on national television and community radio stations throughout the country.
During the festival itself, 320 volunteers were mobilized. Information centers were set up, hand-washing demonstrations were provided and pandemic preparation and response leaflets were distributed among pilgrims to raise awareness on best practices in pandemic prevention.
As a legacy, the Senegalese Red Cross is now much better prepared to deal with an outbreak of disease or a natural disaster. The Society has more robust pandemic preparedness and response plans in place, improved business continuity plans, and an increased number of well-trained medical doctors and volunteers in times of response.
“All of the tools and materials designed for the pandemic influenza project can be used for any kind of major disaster,” says Aliou Boly, Human and Avian Influenza Coordinator, West Africa. “Our success in this campaign also increased our credibility among community partners. When we talk about preparedness with the government, they now listen because it costs less to prepare than to respond without any preparation in place. The main challenge for us now is how to maintain this level of preparedness on a consistent basis.”
The Senegalese Red Cross played a critical role in the country’s response to the H1N1 pandemic and was allocated one of five seats on the national pandemic Task Force. Additionally, the Senegalese Red Cross’ country plan has now been incorporated into the Ministry of Health’s national response plan.
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